A small business owner who took to social media to express her anguish over 'offensive' demands during a photoshoot for her cafe has been overwhelmed by the response she has received.

Kylie Rhodes, the owner and head baker for specialty macaron cafe Whisky Business in Capalaba, south-east of Brisbane, had been approached by local newspaper The Wynnum Herald to participate in an article about her business.

After taking some initial shots, the reporting journalist allegedly asked Ms Rhodes to put some lipstick on for the photo shoot, and on discovering she didn't have any on hand, requested that a casual staff member be photographed instead.

Scroll down for video

Kylie Rhodes, the owner and head baker for specialty macaron cafe Whisky Business, had been approached by local newspaper The Wynnum Herald to participate in an article about her business

The reporting journalist allegedly asked Ms Rhodes to put some lipstick on for the photoshoot, and on discovering she didn't have any on hand, requested that a casual staff member be photographed instead

'She looked at the photo's we'd taken and she didn't like how I looked,' Ms Rhodes told Daily Mail Australia.

'She asked if I had any lipstick to put on, and when I said that I didn't, she told me that I wasn't really what they were looking for.'

RELATED ARTICLES

Share this article

Share

Ms Rhodes spoke to Daily Mail Australia about the incident, labeling the incident 'offensive' and explaining that she cancelled the photoshoot immediately and asked the journalist and photographer to leave.

'I had just come off a busy breakfast service, and had no idea I was going to be in the photos. I was told they were taking photos of the shop and the macarons and it was never mentioned to me that I would be in them,' she said.

Ms Rhodes spoke to Daily Mail Australia about the incident, labeling the incident 'offensive' and explaining that she cancelled the photoshoot immediately

'I had just come off a busy breakfast service, and had no idea I was going to be in the photos. I was told they were taking photos of the shop and the macarons and it was never mentioned to me that I would be in them,' Ms Rhodes said

Ms Rhodes said it was insulting and hurtful to be told that she 'wasn't good enough' to be featured in publicity for her business, which she had poured herself into

'I had some blush and foundation and had freshened up. I looked clean and presentable, there was nothing wrong with how I looked.'

Ms Rhodes said it was insulting and hurtful to be told that she 'wasn't good enough' to be featured in publicity for her business, which she had poured herself into.

'When the reporter was here I tried to tell her why I was offended, but she didn't get it,' Ms Rhodes said.

'Then again, she didn't take any time to connect with me and find out how much I give of myself to the shop.'

The small business owner decided to post an explanation of why she was offended on her business Facebook page, in order that the journalist would read it and understand.

Addressing the Wynnum Herald journalist, she explained that she had 'put her heart and soul in Whisky Business' and that she had sacrificed a lot to get the shop to where it was, including losing sleep, missing out on events in her children's lives, and working twelve hour days.

'I don't have time in my day to give two s***s, let alone one about whether I have lipstick on...I'm a real person, and this is what Real people look like!' she wrote.

'I fully expected to be told to get over it, or have people say that I should be grateful that a newspaper was giving me publicity,' Ms Rhodes said.

Instead, thousands of outraged social media users have expressed support for the mother-of-two, posting their indignation and shock at the way she was treated.

The small business owner decided to post an explanation of why she was offended on her business Facebook page, in order that the journalist would read it and understand

Thousands of outraged social media users have expressed support for the mother-of-two, posting their indignation and shock at the way she was treated

Nearly 8000 Facebook users have 'liked' the post, with many more commenting and sharing the sentiments expressed by Ms Rhodes on their own Facebook pages

Addressing the Wynnum Herald journalist, she explained that she had 'put her heart and soul in Whisky Business' and that she had sacrificed a lot to get the shop to where it was

'A woman telling another woman she's not pretty enough to represent her business is offensive and shameful. Wynnum herald owes her an apology. That sort of behaviour is just not acceptable.' said one Facebook user.

Nearly 8000 Facebook users have 'liked' the post, with many more commenting and sharing the sentiments expressed by Ms Rhodes on their own Facebook pages.

'I'm yet to see a single chef who wears any 'lippy' while working. Maybe she needs to do a 12 hour shift on her feet, with a full bladder, 12 dockets, one customer complaint, three inquirers and all of this in a hot kitchen. Put your lippy where the sun doesn't shine!' said another commentator.

Another user spoke of the wonderful service she had received when she visisted Whisky Business, writing that all she remembered was 'two beautiful ladies who were always smiling, couldn't do enough for us, didn't rush us out the door and were above all really warm and friendly. What's not beautiful about that?'

The Wynnum Herald responded on their Facebook page, saying that they were 'very sorry this has happened.'

'We are still very keen to write a positive story about a great local business and have reached out to Kylie in the hope of making this happen.'

Ms Rhodes denied that the newspaper had tried to contact her, and told Daily Mail Australia that when she did finally receive a call, the journalist was very sympathetic, but that it was less of an apology and more of an explanation.

The journalist admitted on Facebook that she had suggested to Ms Rhodes that she might like to put some lipstick on for the photo shoot, but said she had not intended to insult her.

The journalist admitted on Facebook that she had suggested to Ms Rhodes that she might like to put some lipstick on for the photo shoot, but said she had not intended to insult her

Ms Rhodes denied that the newspaper had tried to contact her, and told Daily Mail Australia that when she did finally receive a call, the journalist was very sympathetic, but that it was less of an apology and more of an explanation

Some social media users have come to her defense, labeling the online comments as a 'social media bullying campaign'

'It was not done with any malice or to offend – I just wanted her to look her best for a photo and story promoting her business,' she wrote.

'It was a mistake - one I apologised for there and then. A mistake I continued to apologise for several times during the course of my visit to try and resolve the issue and pursue writing a positive story about what I could see was an amazing business.'

The journalist said that as a working mother who had owned a small business, she had 'the utmost respect and understanding for women who have to juggle the challenges of work and family life,' but that she refused to be 'intimidated by the unrelenting barrage of bullying' and 'unbridled nastiness' directed at her from anonymous posters.

Some social media users have come to her defense, labeling the online comments as a 'social media bullying campaign'.

'What a shame you couldn't resolve this issue like an adult...Two wrongs don't make a right. Spreading hate is not the answer,' posted one user.

Ms Rhodes said that she had not anticipated that people on Facebook would attack the journalist, and that she hadn't been looking for sympathy, she simply wanted to explain why she had been offended.

'If I could go back, I would. I wish this had never happened,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

'I didn't want anything from them. I just wish she had treated me and my business respectfully, and that we'd had a nice write up in the paper,' Ms Rhodes said.

'This has distracted me from my customers and from what I need to be doing. I don't want her painted in a bad light, I just think that what happened to me should never have happened.'